Plowing: Dust storms, Conservation Agriculture, and need for a "Soil Health Act"

The severity of recent drought in parts of the Corn Belt resulted in large amounts of wind erosion, suggesting the lessons from the "Dust Bowl Days" have not been retained by all. The recent soil dust cloud catastrophe in central Illinois is another wakeup call suggesting that agriculture needs to implement more sustainable pro-duction practices. The combined unique conditions of dry soils, strong winds, and recent soil tillage caused the tragic loss of human life. This catastrophe and several other verified dust storm incidents should provide strong justification for the need to incentivize adoption of soil health practices and CA widely across the United States. Policy implications for the new farm bill programs that promote conservation innovation through payments for ecosystem services, training, and new ideas, along with farmer and consumer education programs, including a proposed "Soil Health Act," are essential. Investing in adopting farming practices that can stop the dust from blowing would pay dividends for generations.